From 2010 the training of guides will change

In 1946, Lionel Terray has not yet written "The conquerors of the useless", but the French Government creates the Ensa, and mountain climbing will be its golden age. "This was a real need, after a period difficult, people wanted to discover new horizons," indicates Jean-Paul Vion, responsible for pole climbing to the Ensa. At the same time, mass tourism was beginning and the France began to build its large winter sports stations. Before the influx of customers, guides, previously organized by co-optation and from their racing book that commented on their customers, feel the need to have a professional degree and living from their craft throughout the year. Because, "if it is not rich in exercising the profession of guide, the profession still has the same fascination", note Jean-Paul Vion.

"With the economic crisis and the transfer of the company, the Ensa sees more apply for engineers and high level executives, eager to change of life.", he said. About 150 people come each year. A third is accepted. Annual promotions are 52 new guides for 1,500 in France exercise, which only 15 women. The relatively low number of elected officials is explained by the extreme difficulty to enter the Ensa. If no level is required to present the evidentiary review, it must already be a seasoned climber and able to present a list of 55 races and climbing carried out in three years at least and on different media, of the rock to the ice. The guides were first aspiring and then the patent holders of State, whose graduation takes place in several stages over five years maximum.

The elite of the climbing

The Ensa, public operator of the Secretariat of State for Sports, best known for its high mountain guide training, form also in three months ski instructors, ski rescuers and attendants on average mountain. It is indeed often the same people who give and training that enables them to work throughout the year. The Ensa has 110 teachers, mostly appearing in mountaineering elite. Let's start with Armand Charlet, Lionel Terray, René Desmaison, Gaston Rebuffat, and more recently Patrick Berhault, Jean-Christophe Lafaille or Patrick Gabarrou. 2012-Led Pierre Oudot, Inspector principal youth and sports, the Ensa, which organizes 3.500 outings in the mountains annually, has an annual budget of EUR 8 million, 50 allocated to the payroll.

Security label

With its innovation, the Ensa pole awards a label for safety as the strings of mountaineering equipment. The evolution of hardware goes hand in hand with the change of behaviour. Thus, until in the 1960s, clients employed a guide for three weeks and spent many weeks at the foot of the summits. Today, "zapping has become the rule," said Jean-Paul Vion. Then guides have adapted and, paradoxically, longer plied their trade. Their palette expanded from canyoning to routes adventures, the rope or trips abroad. Others have a small business or tourism or acrobatic work. If the practice of the mountain has evolved, climatic conditions have also modified the environment, by melting glaciers and permafrost, making it increasingly dangerous mountain. The environment is also professionalised. The first, that the mountaineers call "achievements", are now all performed by guides and by amateurs as in the 20th century.

From 2010, the training of guides will change. After many accidents which have occurred since 2000, if the list of races imposed will be lower, input selection will have one week more and tutoring will be introduced. According to Jean-Paul Vion: "This principle will confront the trainee in the professional life and the candidate will learn in the field how to handle a conflict with the client and how to sell a product."

In short, risk professional will have to learn, after assessing the danger, that is to say no, which is not always easy in a guide-client relationship.